The present invention relates to nestable load pallets or roller pallets having decks and vertical frames. Modern material handling makes great demands on load pallets. In order to simplify the material handling and facilitate the work of the operating personnel, the load pallet should be made ready easily for loading and transportation; should take as little space as possible; and several of the pallets should be easily convertible into nestable states. The horizontal pallet deck should be simple and easy to raise to its vertical or folded up position, and to move the vertical side frames to a folded out position from each other to facilitate nesting.
Load pallets are known wherein the pallet deck can be folded up or pivoted upwardly to a substantially vertical position and in which two opposed vertical side frames can be folded out or pivoted outwardly so that several load pallets can be partly nested into each other. Examples of load pallets of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,810,648; 9,920,258; 3,977,689 and 3,981,510. These prior art load pallets have a disadvantage in that the vertical side frames must be folded out manually at the same time the pallet deck is manually folded up, and this action usually requires the use of two men. In an effort to solve this problem, it has been suggested that the pallet deck be provided with cam means which can actuate or move the vertical side frames outwardly when the pallet deck is folded up, whereby the vertical side frames are folded out at the same time as the pallet deck is folded up. The vertical side frames can be formed with a stop means so as to prevent the vertical side frames from folding outwardly to a greater extent than necessary. When preparing the load pallet for loading and transport, the vertical side frames in this type of pallet must be manually pulled together at the same time as the pallet deck is folded down, and this action also usually requires the use of two men.
An additional disadvantage of known prior art load pallets is that the pallet deck must be secured in its folded up vertical position by the use of separate locking means so that the pallet deck is prevented from folding down or falling at undesirable or unanticipated times which can cause injury to operators. This locking means involves further work on the part of the operators.
Some of the known prior art load pallets are also constructed with the vertical side frames connected at one of their vertical edges to an intermediate rear vertical wall or frame. However, such load pallets having at least three sides are not well suited for handling larger items which can extend beyond both ends of the vertical side frames.